Discipleship Plan

Discipleship is relationship

When a person comes to faith, there are 3 distinct relationships they must develop.

First and foremost is their relationship to God the Father and Jesus Christ.

Second is their relationship with the Holy Spirit, as distinct from the Father and Son. For He is our guide. This is an internal relationship.

Third is their relationship with fellow believers, the church.

Expanding on these three relationships, let’s look at each one a little closer

The relationship to God the Father and Jesus Christ is one of devotion, prayer and reliance.

It’s the abiding that Jesus speaks of in John 15. Our ability to be fruitful is directly related to our relationship with God.

Our Faith, Love and Commitment must grow deeper and more intimate.

The internal relationship with the Holy Spirit is immediately intimate but has so many potential stumbling blocks.

This is where Satan often attacks us the hardest. Pitting self against obedience.

Jesus tells us in Jn 14 that the Holy Spirit is our Helper. In Jn 16, He tells us that the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth.

But in Romans 7 and Galatians 5 we see the struggle that exists between the Spirit and the flesh. (Jn 14:26; 16:13; Rm 7:14-25; Gal 5:16-26)

We must learn to die to self and trust His leading. Being obedient to the call in our life.

Our relationship with each other in the church helps to produce the commitment and obedience that we need for the other two as it puts us in community with others who are trying to do the same thing.

We want to identify as Christians, longing for fellowship and not forsaking the assembly.

Edification, training and discipline happen in this relationship as we participate in the life of the church.

That is why discipleship is so vital to a healthy church and to a growing Christian.

And the goal of a Discipleship Plan is to develop these three relationships in such a way that the one being discipled becomes a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ.

One that not only reaches spiritual maturity, but also has a heart for the lost and is ready for mission.

I believe a well-developed plan has 3 distinct parts that integrate to produce that mature Christian.

The first part is to Celebrate Big in worship.

This includes worship services, but does not end there.

We want to teach them how to worship God at all times.

How to glorify God in all circumstances, good and bad.

How to cling to His promises and be thankful for His blessings.

The utmost importance of prayer

Learning to trust God for every part of their lives

The second part is to Connect Small in our relationships.

Reading and studying the Bible together,

having conversations and asking questions,

praying together, learning how to pray with and for others

doing recreational activities in groups and one on one.

Learning the necessity of forgiving when we are hurt or wronged

Essentially living out our faith together.

And ultimately we want to see them Engage in the Mission by

discovering their spiritual gifting,

sharing their testimony,

then sharing the gospel,

and finally becoming a discipler themselves.

We will go about this work by first establishing a certain time to meet on a regular basis. During those initial meetings we will organize times of community outreach, group outings, and ways to participate in church activities.

The disciple will have hands on opportunities and personal/family assignments that reinforce the time spent in group study and discussion.

For personal or family time, along with reading and study of the Word, there are many books that help to form a culture of discipleship.

These become part of the conversation during group or one-on-one time.

Knowing God by J.I. Packer

Sanctification: the Christian’s Pursuit of God-Given Holiness by Michael Riccardi

Union with Christ by Rankin Wilborne

Abide by Warren Wiersbe

Another important tool I like to use is journaling. When someone is taking the time to write out their journey they reflect on their progress.

This can have a significant effect on the pace of their learning.

And it gives them something to look back on to see how far they have come.

What we know is that healthy churches are discipling churches.

Churches that multiply are churches that disciple

Discipleship is essential to having a sustained and effective impact in the world around us.